Burger Zone Arena
The Burger Zone Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rapid City, Washington owned by the Whidbey Island Sports Authority that opened in 2009. It is located in the Eastgate neighborhood as part of the Rapid City Performing Arts and Events District, adjacent to the Whidbey Island Bank Center. It is used mainly for athletic purposes as the home arena to the Rapid City Lightning hockey team, Rapid City Islanders basketball team, Rapid City FC soccer team and the men's and women's basketball teams of Whidbey Island University. It is also used for concerts, ice shows and circuses in the spring and summer when the fall sport seasons end. The arena seats 12,000 for ice ice hockey games and ice shows, 13,305 for basketball games, 12,896 for end-stage concerts and 13,104 for center-stage concerts and boxing. History Hockey began in Rapid City in 1998 when the Rapid City Lightning debuted at the downtown Rapid City Megadome. The team hoped to build a 7,000-seat arena dubbed the "Thunderdome" to be built in the parking lot at the Megadome that would have opened by 2000 but was voted down to the need of public funds for construction. A new arena proposal was made in 2005 which called for a 14,000-seat arena to be built in Eastgate using a mixture of public and private funds. Originally the building would have included a small 500-seat theatre which would operate as a performing arts center. The Rapid City Performing Arts and Event Center was approved in 2006 and construction began the following spring. Plans were altered and the arena was scaled down by 2,000 seats while the theatre would be replaced by a standalone facility. The arena opened on September 28, 2009 with a Rapid City Lightning match against the Wenatchee Wild. For its first ten years of operation, the arena was operated by Rapid City Lightining, LLC but the team agreed to allow the Rapid City Performing Arts and Events District to take over operations beginning January 1, 2020. Tenants Hockey Major junior The arena has been home to the Rapid City Lightning of the Western Hockey League since it opened in 2009. The team has failed to qualify for the playoffs once since moving into the arena. Previously the team played their home games at the Rapid City Megadome. Tier III The arena will become home to the Rapid City Thunder of the Pacific West Hockey League in the fall of 2020. Basketball Professional The Rapid City Islanders, a North American Basketball League team, has called Burger Zone Arena home since 2014. Originally the team had planned on building a new 17,000-seat arena but eventually signed a multiyear lease with BZA. The arena hosted their first NABL Playoff game in 2018 as the Islanders defeated the Yakima SunKings in the Division Series. They would go on to beat the San Jose Condors in the NABL Finals four games to two with game six being held at Burger Zone Arena. College The Whidbey Island Buccaneers moved their basketball programs to Burger Zone Arena with its 2009 opening from the Rapid City Megadome. The men and women's teams had separate locker rooms constructed as part of their 15-year lease signed with the arena. High school Burger Zone Arena hosted the Rapid City (HS) Knights boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball teams from August 2012 until March 2013 while their new gymnasium was being constructed at the school's new campus. The old gym had been condemned after an inspection for the then-upcoming remodel. While playing at the Burger Zone Arena, the Knights won their sixth state championship for girls basketball. Soccer Since the spring of 2014, the arena has been home to the Rapid City FC of the Major Arena Soccer League. The team is part of the development system for the USL Championship's Rapid City SeaDogs FC. Category:Sports venues in Randall City